Electronic systems and devices, such as desktop computers and servers, often provide expansion capabilities such as expansion slots for expansion cards. In certain applications, these expansion cards are not physically supported at peripheral portions, thereby rendering the expansion cards vulnerable to undesirable vibrations and movement during shipping and other events. As a result, these vibrations and movement can damage the expansion card and the surrounding electronics and render the system non-functional.
Several techniques may be used to prevent such damaging vibrations and movement. For example, a full-length expansion card may have an end retainer securable to the chassis with a screw. However, the end retainer does not provide intermediate support for the expansion card, thereby leaving the expansion card vulnerable to substantial vibrations and movement. Another example is a retainer mounted to a bar spanning the chassis over the expansion card. However, the bar renders the expansion card inaccessible without first detaching the bar. A further example is a clam-shell chassis having a retainer mounted to a hinged access panel. Unfortunately, these techniques are not readily adjustable or modifiable to the particular expansion card. For example, these techniques are generally not configurable to the existence or non-existence of expansion cards and, thus, they are added at cost to every system regardless of the need for expansion card support. These techniques also can complicate access to the expansion cards and interfere with cabling and other components.